Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-10-21
srEpmAN AT HOME.
rne Workshop au'i Hesiuenee VI s
Famous Bsnker-Poet'


M tbs many men familiar to those
T. hose business or interests BRING tnein
within the atmosphere of busting wall
street none perhaps is more respecteo
or better liked than Edmund Clarence
Stedman. the poet-banker. BUSY AT
his banking Office during the day ana
eno.rossed in literary work and IN ful-
filing social requirements ut niSht'
Mr.. Stedman leads ut once an active
and dual life A literary atmosphere
nnrvades his Office rs well as his charm
mo up-town residence, for the genial
faces of New England's famed poets,
Longfellow, Holmes. Lowell and Whlt-
tier. look down from the four walls be-
tween which the visitor finds Mr.. Sted-
man. 1t is only when closely pressed
by some important piece OF literary
work at home that the poet can not be
fonnd at his downtown desk. rs busiiy
engaged in his banking affairs as II
literature was an unknown factor OF his
life. During the summer months. how
ever, the attractions of his island re-
treat in New Hampshire lure the busy
banker from his desk, and u great por-
| ton of the heated term is there spent.
This summer home is one as beautiful
in its surroundings as might be wished
for Il mind filed with poetical fancies.
1t is situated on Newcastle Island, at
the mouth of the Piscataqua river i'll
New Hamp shire, opposite the ancient
town of Portsmouth. The beauty OF
the place is only rivaled by its wealth
of historic and romantic associations.
The poets home is modest dwelling.
whose shingled roofs and wide, low
porch suggests one of those Queen
Anne cottages that cover every eligible
site on our Atlantic coast. Cross the
lawn to the seward side, and one finds
that the owner and his architect build
with some sense of the novel and poetic
in their souls. The north and west
walls are of stone, the north wall car
RED up into tower, with a marvelously
wide sea outlook. The walls are built
of stone-trap, lava. and small, smooth
bowlders-gathered on the neighboring
beaches and arranged in courses with
an eye to artistic effect. The tower Is
built of the same material There is a
loggia at its base, like those in old
Venetian villas, looking seward out
toward Applcdore, Apologize, and
their sister isles. From a porch door
opens directly into a wide hall, large
enough for summer parlor, and III
deed used as such. There is large
fireplace on the left, with ancient and
irons. The furniture is old and quaint.
reft by Mrs Stedman from the ancient
homes of Portsmouth and other places
On the summer evenings when the sea-
wind blows cool, fire of driftwood is
lighted on the hearth. Part of mast
or spar, torn from its socket perhaps in
some hurricane of the Antilles does
duty as back log, and burns with a
lambent blush flame. On this heaped
fagots catch the flame, and set the
shadows to dancing nierrily over the
polished floor and in and out amid the
} furnishings Then about the fire gathers
) notable company. There is always
} visitor at the cottage-author. poet,
artist, sagant or travelled man from
foreign lands.
The poets study is a small uppel
chamber in the tower, with deep, case
: mented windows looking every way
but the landward.
The view from the west window takes
in the craggy, winding south shore. the
vista being closed by the ruinous Mar
tello tower on Jourdan's rocks and the
deserted walls of Fort Constitution.
Some of the best work of the poet in
; recent years has been done in this little
room alone with sea and sky. In New
York his literary work is done after
: nine o clock at night. Here he devote.
his mornings to it. The afternoon i:
: reserved for social pleasures, boating
and fishing, riding into the storiec
lands about him, strolls through the
romantic lanes and along the sounding
beaches of the island. Jaffrey Point i.
9 his favorte haunt. Its jagged front re-
ceives the full brunt of the Atlantic
/, On one side is a pretty beach of shingl,
a and pebble; inland, bayberry, sweet
: fern and juniper cover the site of tn,
4 first Notifications thrown up by Captain
n Walter Neale for the defense of the in
q FAINT colony. The surf here is ever fin,
best if there has been storm far on
,, at sea to send the great surges rolling
Il in slowly and with grandeur, 1t is here
n that Mr. Stedman's lines on the Surf
e were Written.-N Y. Star.